a headache / toothache / backache / etc.

[GeneD]

On this website (https://www.englishpage.com/articles/advanced-articles.htm), I'm reading about the use of articles with various illnesses. They say the following: "There are a few health conditions or illnesses which can be used with both A(AN) as well as THE and follow general article use. This category includes most aches, pains, growths, and attacks. (e.g. a headache / toothache / backache / etc.)". It seemed to me that I had heard or seen the word "toothache" without an article and looked this word up in the dictionary: https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/toothache. Interestingly, it says that the noun is uncountable, and gives "He’s got really bad toothache" as an example. It's quite confusing. And it's got even more confusing when I looked up "backache" (https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/backache) which can be both countable and uncountable according to the dictionary. :shock:

What do you think of these "aches"? Is it a difference between AmE and BrE (I believe the website is American, while the dictionary is British)? Or is the rule not as rigid? Or something else?

 

[Roman55]

There is no problem with headache, which can take a or the. Toothache can be a mass noun with no article, or a singular noun as in, I have a toothache. The same may be the case with backache, although I only use it as an uncountable noun.

 

[GoesStation]

All of these aches take an indefinite article in American English.